Silly Old Bear

Are you looking for a new and heartwarming sound? You should check out Silly Old Bear! 

Silly Old Bear is a project started by Jacob and Conner over a year ago, and they are based around Peoria. Generally, they make indie folk music! Silly Old Bear played live for the first time this year at Art & Music in the Garden which was an art vendor and music event put on in Luthy Botanical Garden by Mt. Moon. Conner played bass, while Jacob sang and played guitar. They were joined by friends for this performance, with Matt on drums and Annette on cello. It was a gorgeous show and a beautiful day, and Silly Old Bear’s music fit perfectly playing in an environment like a botanical garden. Jacob and Conner are also in a band called Grey Slush together, which is popular in the Peoria DIY scene. 

Silly Old Bear currently only have three songs released, "t/n", "raspberry soda", and "long time, no see". My favorite of the three is "t/n", though I adore all of their releases. I am always on the lookout for new music from them, as it is different than what is typically created and played in the area. Silly Old Bear’s sound is a breath of fresh air. 

I was able to reach out and ask Jacob from Silly Old Bear some questions!

What inspires you most to make music?

Jacob: Playing music started out as a passion and an escape, but, over time, it has become the thing that connects me to friends and community. Writing music is still a safe place of expression for me, and playing music live is largely driven by the connections that it creates between myself and others. 

How long have you been making/playing music? 

Jacob: I have been playing drums since I was maybe 10 years old and guitar since about 14 or 15. I’m 27 now, so music has been a part of me for well over half my life at this point.

How would you describe the genre of music you make?

Jacob: We’ve been calling Silly Old Bear “indie folk”, but there’s a lot of influence from many other genres. Connor and I both grew up listening to much heavier music, so it’s actually kind of funny to hear the music we’re making now. I don’t know if our younger selves would’ve imagined this, but we definitely take influence from across the board - punk, post hardcore, country.

What bands do you consider similar to your own, music genre wise?

Jacob: A few bands that have influenced me with the current sound of Silly Old Bear would be Slaughter Beach Dog, Bon Iver, Johnny Cash, and (more locally) Marble Teeth.

What is the main message you are trying to tell with your music, or the main themes?

Jacob: I think the common thread through the Silly Old Bear tunes is a sense of nostalgia - sometimes in a heavier/aching sense, sometimes in a heart-warming/wholesome sense.

What do you do for fun outside of music?

Jacob: Outside of music, I like to do graphic design and cook!

You can find Silly Old Bear online here! You can keep up with them on Instagram, as well, for any show announcements or new releases. Otherwise, you can view a clip of them at their first live show below!